Gender roles in Huli society vary greatly among men, with much less diversity granted to women. Men and women do not interact much throughout their lives, as men have instilled a great fear in a womans menstruation. The men believe that menstrual blood weakens a man's skin, inhibits their growth, and accelerates the aging process. Men and women rarely eat together, except at a variety of rituals. Many traditional Huli males will not eat food that is prepared by a woman. Among the men, there are multiple social groups that are differentiated based on the skill set of those individuals. There are seven (7) social groups that a man can become a part of, based on his skills and abilities.
ROLES OF MEN
Homogo-- a homogo among the Huli people is a highly popular man within the village. They have obtained a great deal of wealth through his development of productive gardens, his number of wives and children, and the health, size, and number of pigs he owns. A homogo tends to have multiple dwellings across a number of separate villages. People respect the homogo because they understand he has great wisdom and understands the "secret" strategies necessary for success.
Manaji-- a manaji is a man believed to hold "secret" knowledge, unknown by others in the tribe. A manaji has proved his powers to others and is highly intelligent when it comes to religion.
Dandaji-- a dandaji man is one who is considered successful when it comes to both war and hunting tactics. Dandaji are also understood to be known for their knowledge of the secret language necessary for journeying into the high bush that surrounds them. Dandaji are elected as leaders during wartime.
Dombagwa-- a dombagwa is a Huli man that has demonstrated great understanding and have the role of arbitrator in the event of a dispute. They have also demonstrated the ability to vividly remember details and is able to quickly recall them in disputes. It is possible for a Dombagwa to also be a Homogo.
Haroli-- haroli men are those men that run the rituals for manhood, a necessary step for a boy to become a man, in Huli tribes. Harolis generally have accumulated a great number of pigs because of their value. Haroli men live separately from the rest of the community; they live in hidden sites in which no women can find them.
- a young boy who wants to become part of the haroli is known as an agali. An agali boy leaves the home of his mother at age 9 to live with his father or the closest figure to a father. While with him, the boys learns basic skills such as hunting, cooking and war and gardening tactics. While living among the haroli, the boy learns the sacred myths and "secrets" of the haroli.
Kebeali-- the kebeali are those members that create and protect the sacred cave shrines. These men are to avoid contact with women throughout the duration of their time as kebeali. They too live apart from the rest of the community.
Agibano-- those members of the Huli tribe that have no strengths are known as agibano. They have been rather unsuccessful in their ability to grow crops or demonstrate a wealth of knowledge above the rest. Agibano tend to be unmarried, although they can be, and have few or zero children. Their pigs are often limited in numbers and may suffer from illness.
ROLES OF WOMEN
- Huli women are known as wali throughout the tribe. Women live separately from men and often do not have any say in decision making among the tribe. Women can also express their preference in marriage, but the decision is ultimately up to the males. Women are able to own pigs and other valuables and are able to keep all of the food that they grow for themselves. Daily Activities
- The day to day activities of Huli women consist of managing the pigs, watching her children, and caring for her garden. She is responsible for preparing food for herself as well as her children; grown men grow and prepare their own food. Other activities that women partake in include: rope making; bag making; and skirt making. Women spend a good deal of time socializing with one another and establishing a network of relationships. Women may also become quite skilled at the mouth bow or harp which gives them increased value at rituals or burial ceremonies. Men are often responsible for providing food to their wives. Huli girls do not receive a real education; they assist their mothers from a young age and learn from them.
Gender roles in Huli society vary greatly among men, with much less diversity granted to women. Men and women do not interact much throughout their lives, as men have instilled a great fear in a womans menstruation. The men believe that menstrual blood weakens a man's skin, inhibits their growth, and accelerates the aging process. Men and women rarely eat together, except at a variety of rituals. Many traditional Huli males will not eat food that is prepared by a woman. Among the men, there are multiple social groups that are differentiated based on the skill set of those individuals. There are seven (7) social groups that a man can become a part of, based on his skills and abilities.
ROLES OF MEN
Homogo-- a homogo among the Huli people is a highly popular man within the village. They have obtained a great deal of wealth through his development of productive gardens, his number of wives and children, and the health, size, and number of pigs he owns. A homogo tends to have multiple dwellings across a number of separate villages. People respect the homogo because they understand he has great wisdom and understands the "secret" strategies necessary for success.
Manaji-- a manaji is a man believed to hold "secret" knowledge, unknown by others in the tribe. A manaji has proved his powers to others and is highly intelligent when it comes to religion.
Dandaji-- a dandaji man is one who is considered successful when it comes to both war and hunting tactics. Dandaji are also understood to be known for their knowledge of the secret language necessary for journeying into the high bush that surrounds them. Dandaji are elected as leaders during wartime.
Dombagwa-- a dombagwa is a Huli man that has demonstrated great understanding and have the role of arbitrator in the event of a dispute. They have also demonstrated the ability to vividly remember details and is able to quickly recall them in disputes. It is possible for a Dombagwa to also be a Homogo.
Haroli-- haroli men are those men that run the rituals for manhood, a necessary step for a boy to become a man, in Huli tribes. Harolis generally have accumulated a great number of pigs because of their value. Haroli men live separately from the rest of the community; they live in hidden sites in which no women can find them.
- a young boy who wants to become part of the haroli is known as an agali. An agali boy leaves the home of his mother at age 9 to live with his father or the closest figure to a father. While with him, the boys learns basic skills such as hunting, cooking and war and gardening tactics. While living among the haroli, the boy learns the sacred myths and "secrets" of the haroli.
Kebeali-- the kebeali are those members that create and protect the sacred cave shrines. These men are to avoid contact with women throughout the duration of their time as kebeali. They too live apart from the rest of the community.
Agibano-- those members of the Huli tribe that have no strengths are known as agibano. They have been rather unsuccessful in their ability to grow crops or demonstrate a wealth of knowledge above the rest. Agibano tend to be unmarried, although they can be, and have few or zero children. Their pigs are often limited in numbers and may suffer from illness.
ROLES OF WOMEN
- Huli women are known as wali throughout the tribe. Women live separately from men and often do not have any say in decision making among the tribe. Women can also express their preference in marriage, but the decision is ultimately up to the males. Women are able to own pigs and other valuables and are able to keep all of the food that they grow for themselves.
Daily Activities
- The day to day activities of Huli women consist of managing the pigs, watching her children, and caring for her garden. She is responsible for preparing food for herself as well as her children; grown men grow and prepare their own food. Other activities that women partake in include: rope making; bag making; and skirt making. Women spend a good deal of time socializing with one another and establishing a network of relationships. Women may also become quite skilled at the mouth bow or harp which gives them increased value at rituals or burial ceremonies. Men are often responsible for providing food to their wives. Huli girls do not receive a real education; they assist their mothers from a young age and learn from them.
Issues Related to Gender and Sexual Orientation
This is an article about prostitution and sex work within the Huli people:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3488269
This is an article about HIV/AIDS among the Huli people:
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=rfiRYqjTGoMC&oi=fnd&pg=PA187&dq=huli+people+sexual+orientation&ots=tpU7fTOY9Z&sig=-jaEIa9-tnYvInw-_xGd5y-51Ck#v=onepage&q=huli%20people%20sexual%20orientation&f=false